Toys capable of animation have long found widespread appeal among children, and are disclosed in numerous forms in the prior art. One form of such action toys simulates a creature having wings that are movable in a flapping action, as disclosed in the following U.S. patents: U.S. Pat. No. 2,036,328 to Furey; U.S. Pat. No. 2,637,939 to Polk; U.S. Pat. No. 3,153,871 to Semba; U.S. Pat. No. 3,577,670 to Gutierrez; U.S. Pat. No. 4,244,138 to Holahan et al; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,307,533 to Sims et al.
More particularly, the Furey patent describes a toy insect having movable wings that are operatively connected to a pair of ground-engaging wheels.
A flapping wing toy, constructed to simulate a bird or butterfly, is shown in the Polk patent; it employs a pair of hinged arms, oscillated by finger pressure, to which the wing sections are attached.
Semba shows the use of an electric motor to animate various parts of a bird toy, including the wings; projections on a rotated disc successively engage a rod to which the wings are attached, oscillating the rod and thereby causing a fluttering effect of the wings.
Gutierrez discloses a wing flapping toy in which the wings are loosely mounted upon a handle, and are held in place by a rubber band. The handle has a spring-like portion which terminates in a pair of parallel ears, disposed to force the wings to elevated positions when the handle is squeezed.
The Holahan et al patent describes an animated bird toy in which a trigger-like lever, pivotably mounted upon the body, is operated to simulate flapping of outwardly extending portions of the wings.
In the toy insect of the Sims et al patent, four wings are rotatably mounted upon pins attached to hinged mounting plates The plates are acted upon by a lever to elevate the wings against the force of gravity.
Animated toys have of course taken many other forms, with parts other than wings that are movable. Like the winged toys described above, they may be animated either manually (e.g., by finger movement, as in hand puppet toys, by pull strings, etc.) or by drive means (e.g., electric or spring-powered motors), and in some instances they may be capable of producing sounds as well. Exemplary of such prior art are the following United States patents:
Fisher describes, in U.S. Pat. No. 928,744, figure toys having illuminating means for the eyes, mouth and nostrils, and containing a button-operated mechanism for opening the mouth.
A toy in the form of an animal is described by Price in U.S. Pat. No. 1,782,477, wherein a spring-powered motor is provided to produce a walking action as well as movement of head components.
A toy figure having movable parts, animated by a spring motor, is shown in the patent to Hyde, U.S. Pat. No. 2,158,860.
A snake-like toy in the form or a plurality of segments is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 2,241,576 by Barton, wherein strings can be pulled to move the toy in various directions.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,614,365 Musselwhite et al disclose a doll having arms that are moved by push-button actuation.
Katz et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,358,400 provides a doll having pendulum-controlled eyes moved by a mechanism having cooperating cam and cam follower means.
Harp discloses a puppet in U.S. Pat. No. 3,698,127, which has a movable mouth operated by a pull string.
A head for a doll having lips which are movable to simulate talking is shown in Giroud U.S. Pat. No. 3,828,469; the mechanism used includes a wheel having eccentric studs, which is driven by a motor to impart a reciprocating displacement to the lips.
The patent to Akiyama U.S. Pat. No. 4,207,704, teaches a sound-producing animal-simulating toy in which a tape recorder can be employed to product voice or other sound.
A toy game, in the form of a simulated alligator body, is taught in the Cooper U.S. Pat. No. 4,324,065, wherein a leg of the alligator is tied to a latch for operating the upper jaws.
Hand and finger operated puppets or puppet-like toys are disclosed by Kilpatrick in U.S. Pat. No. 683,857; Reich in U.S. Pat. No. 1,417,860; Slocum U.S. Pat. No. 1,432,628; Edwards U.S. Pat. No. 1,518,576; Dallas U.S. Pat. No. 1,865,305; Renshaw U.S. Pat. No. 2,302,349; Werbe U.S. Pat. No. 2,756,448; and Chamberlain U.S. Pat. No. 3,918,180. Hodes U.S. Pat. No. 2,725,670 provides a manipulative animated toy in the form of a mouse in a cage, the mouse being articulated by finger movement. A hand puppet having legs and a head that can be moved by finger manipulation is taught in the patent to Rushton, U.S. Pat. No. 3,942,283. Baiera describes a puppet in the form of a walking or crawling creature, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,065; the body consists of a non-functional glove, and appendages into which the fingers of the operator are inserted for manipulation to simulate the walking action.
It is of course desirable to achieve optimal visual appeal, functional effectiveness, and durability in any such toy, while minimizing the complexity of the animating mechanism and the cost of manufacture. Despite the level of prior art activity indicated above, a demand remains for toys of unique construction, in which the foregoing criteria are realized.
Accordingly, it is a broad object of the present invention to provide a novel glove puppet figure having mechanically driven flappable wings, in which the operating mechanism is of relatively uncomplicated and durable construction.
It is also an object of the invention to provide such a puppet figure which is relatively economical to manufacture, and in which the parts employed are relatively simple and few in number.
Additional objects are to provide such a puppet figure in which the wings are readily removable, and in which movement of the wings is effective to produce an audible sound.
Another broad object of the invention is to provide a novel glove puppet figure having an articulated head attached to a body, the head being movable by finger manipulation while the body is held stationary on the operator's hand.
A more specific object of the invention is to provide such a puppet figure on which a unique gripping ring holder is employed, which not only permits articulation of the head while the body is held stationary, but also permits movement of the remaining fingers, such as to simulate walking or crawling legs of the puppet figure.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a puppet figure having the foregoing features, in combination with a glove member which is constructed to serve both aesthetic and also functional purposes.
A still further object is to provide such a puppet figure having a body partially covered by a plush or fur-like material.